All it takes is a wish... (ON HOLD)

Chapter 1

   A/N: Hey everyone! Just one thing to say, the new, beautiful cover for this book was made by @TheLuxinator. Thanks for reading, Wiseheart12.

   The feel of the wind blowing her hair all over the place and the scent of the fresh wilderness filled Kaia's heart with happiness. She inhaled slowly while her eyes scanned her surroundings. This was why she loved her Grandfather's place. As long as she could remember, she had come here every summer to her Grandfather's stories but now, instead, she came for the beauty and tranquility of the woods. She shielded her eyes silently as a sudden ray of sunshine emerged from behind a canopy of trees, bathing her body in a golden shower. After she took a moment to admire the beauty of it all, she continued her way down the path, crunching down the fallen leaves on the trail.

  Her trip to her Grandfather's was like it had always been. Now that she thought about it, she could see herself as a modern Red Riding Hood, bringing bread to her grandfather in the woods. But of course, there was no Big Bad Wolf.

  This is the real world, she reminded herself. Not some happily ever after story.

   She sighed. Her grandfather, the stubborn person he was, had still not changed his mind about moving into the city. Moving into the city, he had argued, was bad for his health and on top of that, there was nothing left for him there. She would then argued that there was nothing left for him here either, but then he just turned really depressed. Of course, he may have been right, but how would she know, her grandmother had died when Kaia was really little.

   Since then, according to her parents, he changed drastically. She hummed quietly as she continued down the stretch. This part opened up to a view of the lake, all quiet and peaceful. She sighed, taking the opportunity of the bench that was there to sit down. It was early Autumn and the leaves were falling. The one thing that didn't change all year long according to her grandfather was the picturesque view. She couldn't disagree. The rosy tints of the sunset reflected upon the surface of the lake were beautiful. She sighed.

   Suddenly, her phone rang. Groaning, Kaia picked it up.

   "Hello?" She asked.

    "Is this Kaia Caverly?" An unknown voice asked.

    "Yes. And who is this?"

     "This is the General Hospital speaking. Your father has been just taken to the emergency. He's in a critical state." And with that, the person hang up.

     Kaia sat there numbly. Her father... Her eyes prickled with tears and she wiped them away furiously. She was not going to cry. She got up, picked up her stuff and raced home.

    To say her home was a disaster was an understatement. There were people running everywhere, probably doing various tasks her mom had given them. Kaia could even hear her mother berating someone about putting something in the wrong place, this someone of whom by the looks of it happened to be the slightly lazy mailman. Taking off her shoes, Kaia followed the sounds of her mother's shrieking to the kitchen. When she got there, what a scene it was. The poor mailman who looked frightened to death was cowering near the kitchen table while her mother glared at him, muttering curses.

     Kaia coughed loudly. Both of them turned towards her. Her mother gave her a fake smile, while the mailman just looked relieved.

   "Kaia, dear! You've heard the news of your father." Her mother asked, her smile now forced.

    Kaia couldn't speak. She just nodded. Noticing her reaction, her mother looked away for a second so she could compose herself. Kaia meanwhile turned and walked away. She ignored everybody around her. She didn't need their sympathies. She raced to the front door and numbly put on her boots and her coat. Then she stepped outside in the cold.

  Outside, it was drizzling. The thick, grey clouds covered the majority of the sky, letting only a sliver of daylight through. She shivered and wiped the tears that were now falling freely down her face. The fresh breeze that once seemed so peaceful to her, felt irritating and cold. Her coat barely kept her warm.

   She felt herself, figuratively falling. Falling into a pit of darkness, a pit that seemed so familiar to her, as if she'd been there before. And, she had. It was a long time ago, and she preferred not to think about. Life now seemed so full of uncertainties as if fate was still deciding which hand to be played.

   But there was one thing she knew for certain. If she fell in the pit this time, she would not be able to get out.